Love it or hate it, the non-alcoholic beer is here to stay!

Given the rising interest in low- or No-ABV drinks, more beer breweries are stepping up to the task of brewing and launching their own non-alcoholic beer variations. The process of making non-alcoholic beer itself is shrouded in a lot of misconceptions, and it often requires quite a bit of ingenuity and extra steps to achieve a solid NA beer that holds up to the critique of beer geeks. 

If you've ever wondered how exactly NA beer is made, let's find out! 

The Brewing Process: More Complex Than You Might Think

There's a popular misconception that producing non alcoholic beer is akin to mixing up a mocktail of sorts and canning it up. But the process is actually quite sophisticated and more involved than that.

The key thing that surprises people is that to make non alcoholic beers, brewers will still have to perform the traditional processes of fermenting and brewing the beer as they would with normal beers. However, they would then undertake the additional step of reducing or removing the alcohol content that's already been created through that process.

Here are the three main methods this is achieved:

1. Dealcoholisation: Removing the alcohol

Dealcoholisation is one of the most prevalent methods for producing NA beer. The process begins with brewing a full-strength beer in the conventional way. Once the beer reaches its desired flavor profile, the next step is to remove the alcohol, which is where the magic happens.

There are a couple of key techniques employed in dealcoholisation:

• Boiling Off the Alcohol: This method involves heating the beer to evaporate the alcohol. Since alcohol boils at a lower temperature than water, a brewer can carefully heat the fermented beer to a target temperature, wherein the desired amount of ethanol remains. However, this technique needs to be carefully controlled to preserve the beer’s taste and aroma.

• Vacuum Distillation: This more sophisticated technique involves reducing the pressure inside a vacuum chamber to lower the boiling point of alcohol. This allows the alcohol to be removed at lower temperatures, minimizing the impact on the beer's delicate flavors. The result is a more flavorful NA beer with a more nuanced taste profile.

• Membrane Filtration: Another method of dealcoholization involves running full strength beer through a specially designed membrane that only allows alcohol, color, and select flavor compounds to pass through through. 

2. Controlled Fermentation: Timing and Ratios Are Everything!

Controlled fermentation, also known as arrested fermentation, is another creative approach to creating NA beers by limiting the amount of fermentation occurs. This can happen via two main techniques:

• Cutting short the fermentation process: This technique involves fermenting the beer but cutting short the process before the yeast has a chance to produce too much ethanol. This is done by rapidly cooling the mixture to deactive the yeast. 
• Using a wort with less fermentable sugars: Brewers can prepare a wort with less fermentable sugars than they normally would in a standard full strength recipe. This limits the amount of alcohol that can be produced. 

3. Dilution: Simple Yet Effective

Dilution is one of the simplest methods used to reduce the alcohol content of beer. This approach involves adding water to a fully brewed beer to lower its alcohol concentration. While this method is straightforward, it requires careful adjustment to ensure that the final product can still preserve its intended flavor and body.

Brewers may use dilution in combination with other techniques to fine-tune the taste and quality of the NA beer. The challenge lies in balancing the dilution process so that the beer remains enjoyable without the alcohol.

Innovation and the Future of NA Beer

The world of NA beer is not static; given how relatively nascent it is, there's bound to be continued innovation on the processes and techniques used to brew NA beer, such as the use of innovative yeast strains. 

From dealcoholisation and controlled fermentation to dilution and beyond, each method plays a crucial role in crafting a beer that meets the exacting expectations of today’s consumers. So next time you sip on a non-alcoholic beer, remember the complex craftsmanship that goes into creating it! 

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